


What happened after the battle against Dormammu

by startrekfan



Series: Doctor Strange Metas [33]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Canon, Canon Facts, Character Analysis, Gen, Headcanon, Meta, Story, things we didn't see in the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 10:24:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekfan/pseuds/startrekfan





	What happened after the battle against Dormammu

Between the battle against Dormammu and the end of the movie, A LOT of things happened, but they weren’t shown, so I have some ideas of what his uniform change could mean.

Before starting a meta in detail, I think some sort of celebration or nomination happened to officially promote Doctor Strange to the New York Sanctum Guardian. I believe the little yellow and orange details around his arms are some kind of homage for the zealots that died or got imprisoned in the Dark Dimension, because after all, despite being wrong, the zealots were doing what they thought it was the right thing and I’m quite sure Stephen didn’t want them to die or suffer.

##    
So, let’s talk about what probably happened between the battle against Dormammu and the end of the movie.

1) Rebuild and revive the more you can!!!

It might not be sooo obvious in the movie, but Kaecilius caused an HUGE DEVASTATION. You WILL notice if you pay attention, but it’s not something the movie keeps showing over and over again, but anyway, think about it. Kaecilius was a very very badass master, stronger that a normal Sanctum Guardian such as Master Drumm (he killed him in front of Stephen) and Kaecilius isn’t alone. The zealots aren’t any sorcerers, they aren’t rookies, they are very advanced students. Remember how Mordo had such a hard time fighting the zealots, even in one against one battles? In fact, the zealots were powerful, their team work was absurdly harmonic, they knew how to use powerful spells and they all made a deal with Dormammu, to boost their spells even more. In other words, Kaecilius and crew first attacked Kamar Taj, heavily damaging the books, relics, killing a lot of students and masters, interrupting the doors and portals and weakening the force fields, then he destroyed all the 3 Sanctums, one by one, killing their guardians, the masters and the students, including the relics and artifacts, scrolls and book that were destroyed with the explosions and fires. By doing that, Kaecilius also destroyed the mystic barrier that protects the Earth, allowing Dormammu to enter our realm and start eating it with the Dark Dimension. But without the mystic barrier, other evil entities can attack our planet too, meaning that people who have an awakened mystic potential or a stronger than normal mystic potential might be in danger, becoming food for paranormal and mystic beings.

Considering all that destruction, Wong and Tina Minoru, the Guardian of the Hong Kong Sanctum, died too, being brought back to life when Doctor Strange used the Eye of Agamotto to rewind time in Hong Kong. After the battle, Stephen was absolutely exhausted. We can SEE how drained and mentally tired he is. He even jokes with things he normally wouldn’t joke with, his eyes are deep and almost closing, he’s injured, stumbling around, despite looking relieved because his never ending torture session is finally over, Strange seemed he could black out any moment. But still he had a lot of things to do. Strange was the only person alive capable of using the Eye of Agamotto, he re-winded all the destruction in Hong Kong, but New York and London also were in ruins because of the attacks, specially the areas where the sanctums were. Since the New York Sanctum seems recovered and many relics that possibly were heavily damaged were back to normal later on, it’s logical to believe that Doctor Strange used a portal to leave Hong Kong with Wong and went to New York, using the Eye of Agamotto to rebuild the Sanctum and bring back to live everyone he could.  
Let’s remember that everyone who was completely disintegrated, who was sent to somewhere else (therefore out of the Eye’s range), who was locked in the Mirrored Dimension (or who died in there) or who died way before Stephen fought Dormammu (Master Drumm and others) and that were removed from New York and taken to Kamar Taj to be placed with the other deceased (sorcerer) victims could NOT be revived by Doctor Strange because of the Eye of Agamotto’s limitations, and of course, Doctor Strange’s knowledge and power limitations. This means MANY sorcerers died and that’s a true punch against the Masters of the Mystic Arts’ stability. 

After rebuilding Hong Kong, Stephen probably rebuilt New York and then he probably went to Kamar Taj, in order to bring the students who died back to life, along with all the books and important things that had been destroyed. Kamar Taj is shown (the library they’re in) to be brand new and indeed, it’s a very important place since it has the 3 gateways to the 3 sanctums and stores the most important books. Also, the younger students stay at Kamar Taj and so many must have died when Kaecilius attacked and everything crumbled, so bringing them to life was among the highest priorities.

After Kamar Taj, Doctor Strange probably went to London in order to revive and rebuild the sanctum and the sorcerers who died there, however, I believe Stephen might have collapsed before he could use the time spell to bring everyone back and I think that because the Master of the London Sanctum remained dead even after the movie. He wasn’t brought back to life. I could be wrong, maybe Stephen managed to rewind time in London and bring everyone back and the Sanctum Guardian remained dead because his body was moved (he was the first master to die) way before the Hong Kong battle, but I don’t think that’s the problem, because we see the Sanctum corridor CRUMBLING over him (and over Strange, but he was pushed back by the explosion) and then this huge explosion swallowing the London Guardian’s body. Even if the guardian was reduced to ashes, if all the stones and ruined sanctum remained there, over him, he would have returned to life when Strange re-winded time. I doubt his body would have been moved considering Kaecilius was attacking and the Masters of the Mystic Arts were facing an emergency, I don’t think they would stop to remove all the stones to find the bodies at the time, they had to fight at all costs and they all failed to stop Kaecilius.  
I believe Strange collapsed for good before he could revive everyone and rebuild everything in London. Stephen possibly blacked out for DAYS after spending so long fighting and being killed and tortured by Dormammu over 2000 times and using all his remaining energy to use time spells in Hong Kong, New York, Kamar Taj and London (attempt).

## 2) Stephen wasn’t given the Eye of Agamotto right away. He still had to prove his valor to earn it, despite everything he did.

We see Stephen leaving the Eye in the Kamar Taj’s library. That could mean two things. First: even after fainting, no one removed the Eye of Agamotto from Stephen Strange’s neck, despite probably washing him and cleaning his wounds and changing his clothes (stripping him) because Stephen most likely fainted and slept for days after the Hong Kong battle. Second: the Eye was removed from his neck when he fainted, he was taken care of and wore the Eye once again for the special ceremony in which he was officially nominated New York Sanctum Guardian and Master of the Mystic Arts, because until then, he was just an advanced student.

## 3) Doctor Strange went through an official nomination in order to become the official Guardian of the New York Sanctum, including tests to prove himself worthy and get his “Master” title, officially.

  


Considering a lot of sorcerers died, there must have happened a funeral, an event in which the masters and students grieved those who passed away. Stephen couldn’t bring everyone back from the dead, including the London Sanctum Guardian and many others. After that, considering The Ancient One had named Doctor Strange the new Sanctum Guardian (of New York) and a Master (Master Strange), Stephen sure went through an official nomination before taking the role as a guardian. Instructions probably were given to him, as well as the property of the New York Sanctum. He probably had to read a lot of guidelines and rules before taking the role and despite The Ancient One nominating him herself, she died and it’s possible the other masters didn’t know she had given Strange the title, so wanting or not, Stephen probably was tested before becoming a Master and before he could actually be the New York Sanctum Guardian. He was considered a rookie, it was obvious how the other masters didn’t take him seriously because of his rebel attitude, probably because of his personality and as well as his hands (disability in many things), we can see Mordo and Wong talking to Stephen as if he wasn’t clever enough, as if all he has was a natural gift while Stephen had trained SO HARD in order to learn and evolve, they simply ignored that and saw only his talent, while Stephen was spending nights and nights of pure hard work. Master Drumm also treats Stephen as if he were weak in the deleted scene.

I think Doctor Strange went through a test, a special challenge so he could prove the other masters he was worthy of getting the “Master” title as well.  
And I really doubt Stephen didn’t suffer prejudice because he’s American. His culture is American too and he’s materialistic, he’s arrogant and his personality is strong. Of course he wore robes, but you can bet there was this huge cultural shock when Strange arrived. There were people from all over the world there, but we can’t forget Kamar Taj is in Asia (Nepal) so obviously the predominant culture there is different, including food, clothes and a many other things. Anyone from NOT ASIA in Kamar Taj had to adapt, despite Magic not being Asian in the MCU (it’s multicultural, having scientists such as Cagliostro who was Italian as one of the many minds behind it), Kamar Taj is in Asia, therefore, Stephen had to adapt and learn how to respect things that were different from his own culture. In Infinity War, we see Stephen liking sandwiches and wearing casual “American” clothes and not robes, so yeah, he has his own culture, he didn’t become Asian or “is using Asian culture” as many say. Strange became a mix of the Mystic Arts, of the doctor he is, of the things he learned with the Ancient One in Kamar Taj and of his own culture. He’s unique. He’s a rich mix that still carries of a lot of a “Goth and baroque medieval wizard”, with multicultural elements, of course.

It doesn’t end there. I bet Doctor Strange also had to prove his worth to get the “Guardian of the New York Sanctum” title. Indeed, he defended the Sanctum after its master had been killed in battle, therefore, the Guardian title is his, but I don’t think it was so simple for Stephen, considering all the prejudice against him.

## 4) Everyone from the New York Sanctum died.

And Stephen couldn’t bring them back to life because they probably died while trying to protect Kamar Taj and their bodies probably were moved or completely destroyed or sent somewhere else before the Hong Kong battle.

The New York Sanctum Master (Drumm) remained dead. We don’t see any other student or master wandering around the sanctum in Thor Ragnarok or in Infinity War, so where are they? The answer might be a cruel theory. They’re all dead. During the battle in Hong Kong, we see a lot of masters (and students too?) taking weapons and relics to fight (to defend the Hong Kong sanctum), so we can presume they either were already there or used their sling rings to get there, considering the portals from Kamar Taj to the Sanctums had been destroyed. Still, the Hong Kong Sanctum was full of people, while the New York Sanctum was basically EMPTY. Just Master Drumm was there. We can assume that the students and masters that used to live or train in the New York Sanctum went to Kamar Taj that was being attacked by Kaecilius (he destroyed the London Sanctum first, until then, Kamar Taj or the New York Sanctum didn’t know about the attack). 

It would be natural for all the sorcerers from New York to go protect Kamar Taj, since most students live there and since the most precious books and relics are stored there too. Since all the 3 sanctums had to fall so the mystic shield that protects the Earth would be deactivated, it’s only logical that the Hong Kong Sanctum increased it’s defenses while the New York Sanctum provided backup for Kamar Taj since they could risk losing the New York Sanctum while trying to protect Kamar Taj but at the same time couldn’t afford losing the Hong Kong Santum in order to keep the shield. (It could have happened with the New York Sanctum as the “fortified sanctum” in the place of the Hong Kong Sanctum as the “used for backup sanctum”, but well, Stephen was thrown into the New York Sanctum and the Cloak was stored there too so, luck I guess?).

## 5) The yellow and Orange colors wrapped around his arms are an homage to Kaecilius and the fallen zealots.

It’s as I said, despite being wrong, the zealots were doing what they thought it was the right thing and I’m quite sure Stephen didn’t want them to die or suffer. They were students too and they had friends, many zealots probably even grew up in Kamar Taj, who knows? They weren’t evil per se, they got blinded by Kaecilius’ ideals and did what they thought it was the best for the world. The red detail on his waist is probably because Wong is his master now?

Let’s not forget Stephen’s oath against killing or causing any harm. Well, because of Stephen, some zealots died or got trapped in the Dark Dimension, destined to suffer for a long time and I’m sure Stephen didn’t like the idea of that, despite being the only way to save the world and prevent EVERYONE from having that terrible destiny. We also have to consider how much Strange seems to have matured from the middle to the end of the movie. Some time passed for sure and now he knows what he wants. He wants to be a sorcerer, he decided to leave his life and his own dreams behind in order to serve a greater good, carrying a lot of responsibility on his shoulders since he might be the strongest sorcerer alive, along with Wong, Mordo and Nico Minoru (Guardian of the Hong Kong Sanctum).  
This was the meta guys, I hope you liked it! Make sure to like, comment and share if you enjoyed it so more people will see!   :D


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